Gatwick Express stress

With the continued disruption on Govia Thameslink Railway’s network, it is surely time for the Government to agree the withdrawal of the Gatwick Express premium fares.

Southern and Thameslink trains are already affected by cancellations and short formations, so why overload them further with suitcase-wielding passengers at the airport seeking to avoid the unnecessary premium? Everything should be done to spread the load, especially during the off-peak when GatEx trains run with plenty of capacity.

Peak GatEx trains are already seriously overloaded with Brighton line commuters, and airport passengers must wonder what ‘premium’ service they’re getting for the extra fare. The whole airport fare structure is a sorry complex mess, rather like the entire service at the moment.

It’s also poignant that the one-time customer hosts who welcomed you on board GatEx trains have long been banished, so no wonder there’s scepticism about long-term plans for supervisors on Southern trains once Driver Only Operation begins.